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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bulb — for light
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. fine — high quality
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bass — low music
  8. mine — for digging
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. object — an aim
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fine — all right
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. object — to protest
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. face — to confront
  22. object — a thing
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. snap — to click

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com